U.S. initial jobless claims fall 20,000 to 308,000

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Initial filings for state unemployment benefits dropped back to their recent range last week, falling by 20,000 to 308,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average of new claims slipped by 250 to 311,250. Meanwhile, the number of people collecting unemployment benefits in the week ending Oct. 28 rose by 43,000 to 2.45 million, a seven-week high. The four-week average of continuing claims rose to 2.44 million.

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